When your teacher is not available for teaching ...

[RedSkyLastNight]

DS is in Year 10 and in one of the 2 (equal) top maths sets. The teacher of the "other" top set is a member of the SMT and therefore has responsibilities beyond maths teaching.

Of the three maths lessons so far this year
Lesson 1: DS's set was taught by his teacher; the other set were taught by their teacher

Lesson 2: DS's set was taught by his teacher; the other teacher was involved in mgt things and his set had "independent learning"

Lesson 3: DS's set had independent learning while their teacher taught the other top set (actual teacher involved in mgt things).

One of DS's friends is in the "other" set and had the same teacher last year, and has told DS that this pattern of teaching is quite usual between the 2 top sets (DS was in a lower set last year so no first hand experience).

Obviously it's early days so far, but (depending on how many lessons are actually missed) is this considered an acceptable/normal way to manage the teaching of students in KS4)? I'm presuming as the DC are "top set", they are considered more able to work unaided?
(if it matters, this is not a top achieving school, there are 9 sets - only 4 of which will likely take the higher paper, and DC in the top 2 sets will be expected to get a 6+ at GCSE)

No, it is not normal to arrange to leave GCSE groups without a teacher to do independent learning. Was there cover work set and a cover teacher?

If they’ve basically got one teacher for two classes most of the time then they’d be better collapsing them and teaching them together as a massive class in the hall or something. Kids who are aiming for a 6+ at GCSE need teaching.

Not good but there is probably not much you can do about it. There is a national shortage of maths teachers and it may be a choice between this rather unsatisfactory situation and no maths teacher. Discuss it with the school, but have an open mind before you talk to them.

If they are on the SMT then they should have a reduced timetable of teaching so that they can undertake their SMT duties. The timetable for them should reflect this and therefore it is not appropriate for them not to be teaching a group they are timetabled for. It could be that it is just something at the start of the year but I would ask the question now of the school and at the very least be firing a shot across their bows in terms of what is and is not acceptable.

It’s not normal, no. There are some unavoidable meetings but not that many normally.

Were they supervised at all?

Not normal BUT I have seen it happen in English with an SLT member who was head of safeguarding and had to attend panel meetings etc.

I would speak to the school.

Not supposed to happen but irl it does happen occasionally. Early day but record everything so if you need to talk to the school, you have evidence to back youself up.

The country has run out of maths teachers, basically, almost no one is likely to have a maths teacher available for all their maths lessons

Thanks for comments. Possibly someone at school was reading this thread, because DS's class has been told they should go back to "normal" teaching "very soon". I've asked DS to keep track of how many lessons his teacher is absent, but hopefully it will only be for a few more lessons.

At his school they have an independent learning room which is supervised by a teacher, but the teacher is basically there to make sure they all turn up and behave - they won't normally have any particular knowledge of whatever subject they are covering. DS says they've been asked to spend the time revising specific topics from last year on myMaths, which at least seems a reasonable use of time (though not sure how much revising any of them actually got done).

Unless those independent lessons are in addition to traditional lessons I would be complaining very loudly. They need to be taught.

Definitely keep a record of it. And don't wait too long to raise the issue even if it only happens once more. Those that complain get results. A memeber of managing missing their timetabled lessons to go off and do something else more than very occasionally means your child is getting a bad deal.....it should be raised and addressed and it will be very hard for the school to justify, so an improvement should be quickly seen.

It's not supposed to happen routinely but it's not the end of the world now and then.
E.g. No GCSE course or grade should come down to a dozen lessons over the 2 years in my opinion. Some consolidation work (which is what is usually set) is often useful for embedding skills.

If it happens all the time then I'd be raising it formally.

Out of interest, is the member of senior leadership the person in charge of behaviour or pastoral? I only ask as those 2 posts seem to be the ones that end up witj their teaching most affected by cross agency meetings and emergencies that can't be moved.